Bed Bug Prevention Tips For Holiday Travelers

Oh, there’s no place like home for the holidays – that is unless you’re heading out of town to reunite with family or just getting away from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Either way, traveling during the holidays can be a bit stressful if you’re not prepared for canceled or delayed flights, missing baggage, snow storms shutting down interstates, and bed bugs…. If that last one surprised you, don’t worry, you’re in good company. These biting pests aren’t usually on the radar for most travelers until they find themselves sharing a hotel room with them or worse.  In order to keep your holidays bed bug free, the New Jersey pest control team at Arrow Pest Control offers this piece of advice: avoid bed bugs while traveling.

Where should you look for bed bugs while traveling

Unfortunately, hotels and motels are among the most likely places where people encounter bed bugs and really it makes sense. In some cases, travelers arrive from all over the country (or world) to enjoy a little R & R and since they travel by plane, roam airports in between flights, and frequent restaurants and other spots where people are in abundance, it increases their risk of picking up these notorious hitchhikers on their luggage and even their persons.

Where do bed bugs hide?

As their name suggests, bed bugs are often found hiding in and around beds and that’s because it’s close to their food source- human blood. Common hiding spots include:

• Mattresses and box springs
• Headboards and bed frames
• Nightstands
• Desks
• Upholstered furniture
• Curtains
• Art, mirrors, and other items that hang on walls
• Electronics
• Underneath carpeting and flooring

Bed bugs also infest rooms and places with no beds so lobbies, offices, and other areas where people congregate could be harboring these bugs in couch seams, office chairs, and other furniture.

Packing tips designed to discourage bed bugs

The first step in bed bug prevention starts at home. Place clothing, shoes, and accessories in plastic bags that seal then place them in a suitcase. We highly recommend using hard-shelled luggage instead of fabric ones.

Bed bug prevention tips to use at your hotel or Airbnb

Once you’ve arrived at your hotel or Airbnb, keep your luggage out until you’ve thoroughly inspected the room (or house) for bed bug activity. Using your phone’s flashlight, you’ll want to check for bed bugs or signs of them in the following areas:

• Bed frame & headboard
• Mattresses & box springs (pull back the sheets and mattress pads)
• Nightstands, desks, upholstered furniture, office chairs, etc.
• Drapery
• Wall hangings
• Electronics
• Areas where the carpet meets the wall

If you feel comfortable that bed bugs are not present, go ahead and bring your luggage in but don’t leave them on the floor or use the lodging’s drawers. Instead, use the luggage racks (after you’ve checked them thoroughly for bed bugs, of course) provided and work out of your suitcase for the duration of your trip.

What to look for during the bed bug inspection

When performing a bed bug inspection, you’re looking for live bed bugs, bed bug eggs, and blood stains to name a few. Check out our article, Common Signs Of A Bed Bug Infestation In Your Home for more information about each of these signs.

What to do if you’re staying with family or friends

The last thing you want to do is give your loved ones the gift of bed bugs upon your arrival at their home so keep these tips in mind. Check your suitcase for signs of bed bugs OUTSIDE or even in the garage. If you’re confident you don’t see any bed bugs on your luggage, your carry-ons, your purses, or even on your traveling clothes, you can move indoors. You might consider washing the clothes you wore and wiping down bags just to be extra cautious.

Don’t bring bed bugs home with you

Just because you didn’t see bed bugs while on vacation, doesn’t mean they won’t hitch a ride home with you. To make sure you don’t carry bed bugs home, here’s what our bed bug exterminators recommend:

• Re-inspect your luggage and bags for signs of bed bugs before carrying them inside
• Wipe down your suitcases and seal them in plastic before putting them away
• Wash all clothing in the hottest water the fabric will allow and dry at the highest heat to kill any bed bugs

What to do if you think you may have brought bed bugs home

If you’re losing sleep because you think you may have introduced bed bugs into your home, contact Arrow Pest Control as soon as possible. It’s important to note that bed bugs will not go away until you’ve remedied the pest problem. In fact, without proper treatment, the infestation will only grow and possibly spread into other parts of your home or to the unit next door.

How our bed bug control specialists get rid of bed bugs

At Arrow Pest Control, we offer comprehensive bed bug control in Essex Fells, Elizabeth, and Chatham as well as throughout our multi-county service area. When you reach out to our locally owned and family-operated pest control company for help getting rid of bed bugs, we will inspect your home for bed bugs, and if we positively identify an infestation, develop a customized bed bug treatment plan.

Our bed bug control services include:

• Physical removal
• Bed bug heat treatment
• Conventional bed bug treatment
• Bed bug preventative solutions
• Portable bed bug heat chamber for furniture, bedroom sets, clothing, books, etc.

No matter how severe your bed bug problem is, you can count on our team of highly trained and fully licensed pest control pros to take care of it. To learn more or to schedule your bed bug control service, please reach out today!